Kiss The Rain Awaken Your Soul
by sweetkiwi604
Summary: Out of everything that changed when the apocalypse hit the seasons were the one thing that remained a constant. 'Spring' challenge. One shot. Complete.


**Written for HaloHunter89's 'Spring' challenge**

Kiss The Rain Awaken Your Soul

Out of everything that had changed when the apocalypse hit the seasons were the one thing that remained a constant. The summer still brought the scorching heat and the humidity-filled days, the winter with it the brisk days and even more bitter nights. Autumn brought the end of the year in her eyes an even more visceral reminder of the death that surrounded them. The leaves fell from the trees and grass turned an ugly brown making the world around her as dead as the walkers she fought against to survive. Spring though, spring was her favorite.

Judith sat on the edge of an old cobblestone wall, her feet swinging from side to side as the cool breeze combed its fingers through her hair. She had heard the stories from her father and her brother, along with other members of their group, their family, about what spring used to mean _before_. They would talk about it with a deep longing in their eyes, remembering what their lives used to be, but she had to ask otherwise she would have never known. Stories were all she had because she was raised quite differently than they were. She heard all about the spring lilies, about a holiday she thought might have been called Easter, and how Carl talked about a weeklong break that he'd get from school.

But, spring meant something different to Judith. It was the earth's way of reawakening after winter. It was coming back to life in such a way that didn't bring more reason to fight. Reawakening, reanimating, meant more fighting; fighting for her life as she had been doing since she was old enough to hold a knife and pull a trigger of a gun. The new grass pushing its way through the dead, the small buds of flowers that hadn't been destroyed by the harsh winter, was all a reminder to her that there was still good in the world. That no matter how used to torture, and blood, and death she had become accustomed to there would always be hope of something new, fresh.

The others rarely spoke of the prison where she was born, or Alexandria where she had taken her first steps, or even the barn they lived in for awhile where she learned to shoot her first gun. Her father saw them as failures in judgment but not Judith. No, she saw them as stepping stones to get to where they were now and if it ever came the time to move on, they would. They had each other and that was all they needed to survive.

There was coolness in the air that had her pulling her jacket closer to her body, reminding her that the cold wasn't forgotten. It was lingering, reminding her that although it was leaving for its season it would be back again; an annual constant that she could rely on when she couldn't count on anything else. Spring was the earth's way of cleansing itself. The rains washing away all that was sullied and making it pure once again.

"You have that look on your face again," Lanie leaned against the wall Judith was sitting on and used the knife in her hands to clean the dirt from under her fingernails.

Judith never opened her eyes as a smile spread across her face, "Don't know what you're talking about."

"Can't you just be normal for once?"

"Yeah, 'cause you're so normal."

"Dad's letting me go hunting today," Lanie spoke up, pure excitement in her voice.

"By yourself? That doesn't sound like Daryl."

Lanie rolled her eyes and stuck her knife back into its sheath. "Said you or Carl had to go with me."

Judith stared at her, trying to decide if she was telling the truth or not. She was smart for her age but she had no choice not to be. Judith remembered what it was like growing up in a world of fear, her only choice being survival. Lanie's eyes grew wide, pleading with her but Judith kept her face impassive.

"Okay. Fine. He said maybe next time but c'mon, Judy, I'm bored," she all but whined until she stood real close to whisper in her ear. "No one will ever know. What's a little adventure anyways? We won't get caught I'm quiet as a mouse and quick with a knife. You know that."

Judith sighed as she hopped off the wall, "We get caught and your dad is going to put a bolt through me."

Lanie bit her bottom lip to keep the squeal of excitement in. She was only a few years younger than Judith but they were as close as they could be while being the complete opposites.

**X-X-X**

Judith and Lanie were lethal in the woods, taking every direction from their fathers, learning from each of them to pay attention to their surroundings. The woods always spoke to them while they were out exploring, warning them of dangers or singing to them in encouragement. Though it was never more alive than it was in the spring, telling them everything it couldn't in the winter months. Judith stopped for a moment just to take it all in; the fresh moss and thawing wood, drops of dew and rain escaping through the canopy and landing on her lashes, her jacket.

Lanie scanned the area around them one more time before letting out a long sigh. "You're weird and creeping me out. Cut it out." When Judith hadn't moved except to turn her face to the falling drops of rain Lanie let out a growl her father would have been proud of. "The hell you doing?"

"Remembering."

"Well, can you do it while you're walking? I didn't come out here to see you stand in the rain."

They walked on enjoying each other's company in comfortable silence when the first crack of thunder vibrated through their chests. Rain Lanie didn't mind but she was still wary of thunderstorms and had suggested they head back. Judith pressed on though, allowing the rain to soak her clothing while the storm cleaned her soul. Thunder crashed above her, the jolt of it sending a wave of pleasure down her spine. She shook visibly and her smile progressed into an open mouthed grin. The energy in the air consumed her, making her eyes open. The world changed during the seasons storms. While darkness tried to press down around it, nature seemed to fight back. Things became both faded and bright, making her feel as though she wasn't capable of seeing clearly. Even through the gray streams of rain the leaves and bark stood out in contrast. The earth emerged through her senses of smell, touch, and taste. The thickness of the air strengthened as if trying to hold onto the moment forever- and in her heart she hoped it would.

Spring was the only time she could breathe because in the dead of winter when they weren't sure how they were going to keep warm or how they were going to feed everyone the next day it was easy to give up. It was all too easy to roll over and succumb to the terrors that hid in the shadows. Spring brought new life with it and the hope that maybe, just maybe, one day they wouldn't have to fight for the right to live.


End file.
